Collapsible trampoline and springboard



Oct. 28, 1958 R. c. SIDLINGER 2,858,132

COLLAPSIBLE TRAMPOLINE AND SPRINGBOARD Filed May 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .&

Q Q A Y a $7 N N x a v 3 INVENTOR I BRUCE C. S/DL/NGER BY fig. amt;

ATTORNEYS Oct. 28, 1958 R. c. SIDLINGER 2,858,132

COLLAPSIBLE TRAMPOLINE AND SPRINGBOARD Filed May 1:5, 1955 24 40 P r M I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 q 1 20/ LE 2 25 A A A N/A A A"/\ AH T:- L BRUCE C. .SlDL/NGE/Q BY v ATTORNEYS United States Patent O COLLAPSIBLE TRAMPOLINE AND SPRINGBOARD Bruce C. Sidlinger, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Application May 13, 1955, Serial No. 508,125

6 Claims. (Cl. 272-21) The present invention relates to apparatus to be used by a performer in an act incorporating gymnastic feats and comedy stunts.

One object of the invention is the provision of a combined trampoline and gymnasium springboard which may be operatively connected, with the springboard positioned at a level well above the level of the trampoline bed and which combination can be folded together into a compact unit which may be easily transported from place to place.

Another object of this invention is the provision of means for adjusting the difference in height between the springboard and the trampoline bed.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an addition to the above combination of a perch or stand positioned above the springboard.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of means for moving the springboard to inoperative positions during the course of an act to provide comedy effects.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means for permitting a performer to fall off the perch without hurting himself. Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description below.

According to the present invention, a trampoline in which the ends fold downwardly (preferably the trampoline shown in Patent 2,671,229, issued to Racine Vernier on March 9, 1954) is operatively connected with a springboard assembly having an elevated frame supported by two short legs attached to one end of the trampoline frame, and two longer legs extending to the floor. The shorter legs are connected to the elevated frame by pivots which in effect provide a toggle joint. At each such joint, an adjustable link is pivotally connected at one end to the leg and at the other end to the frame. By fixing the position of the link in its operative adjusted position, the short legs and the frame are held at about right angles to one another to form an operative apparatus. The springboard assembly collapses with its frame and short legs lying in a straight line against one side of the trampoline bed. This is permitted by loosening the adjustable link and pushing the springboard against the trampoline bed.

One feature of the invention is the mounting of a platform or perch above the springboard and the mounting of the springboard proper with respect to the platform or perch to permit a comedy routine where the springboard flies up and hits the performer on the seat of the pants. In this construction, there is a springboard assembly which includes a generally rectangular top frame, four supporting legs and two upstanding arms at one side of the top frame for supporting a platform or perch. A second assembly, that of the bed frame is pivotally mounted to the springboard assembly at a point adjacent the connection with the platform or perch arms. A piece of resilient shock cord connected to the lower portion of one of the longer legs is connected to a Wire which extends over a pulley positioned on one of the perch arms Patented Oct. 28, 1958 ice and thence downwardly to the free end of the springboard frame. A latch adjacent the pulley is provided for holding the shock cord under tension and inoperative. When the performer desires to have the bed frame rise up, he simply releases the latch and steps forward to a cross bar provided under the perch and the frame flies up. He can push the frame back down by stepping on it and it will stay down as soon as he ref-astens the latch.

Another feature of the invention is a shock breaker for jumping off the perch. This structure is particularly designed for use with a perch or platform which is considerably higher off the floor than the height of a man. Thus, on the perch which includes two supporting arms, a hollow link is pivotally connected about a horizontal axis to one of the arms so that one end extends to the level of the perch in the raised position and the pivoted end is preferably above the height of the performer, and a corresponding link is similarly positioned on the other arm. A piece of resilient shock cord extends through each of these hollow links and is fastened to the supporting arms at one end in a position tending to raise the hollow links to their upper position. The other end of each shock cord is connected to a handle which protrudes from the free ends of the links and which is freely removable therefrom to an extent limited only by the tension of the shock cord. Thus, a performer may grab the handles and fall off the perch, supporting his weight on the handles Which first pivot the links to their lower positions and then transfers the falling force to the shock cords, which stretch and permit the handles to come down below the links but leaves the impression on the audience that the performer has lost 'his grip and fallen on the floor.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same form of the invention but with the bed frame and web in the down position;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view partially in section and partially in elevation illustrating the fall breaking feature of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side view showing the trampoline and springboard in the collapsed position; and

Fig. 5 is a detail of the handle of the free-breaking. feature of this invention.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that the two principal parts of the invention are should be of the type in which the ends collapse downwardly. The frame 10 is supported by a plurality of legs 14 with suitable other supports preferably as shown in Vernier Patent 2,671,229 of March 9, 1954. The main springboard frame 12 is supported at one end by a pair of telescoping legs 16 each of which extends from a pivotal connection 18 at frame 10 to a toggle-type pivot 20 at frame 12. The other end of the frame 12 is supported by a pair of telescoping legs 22 each extending from a pivot 24 to the floor.

A pair of links 26 are each slidably and pivotally mounted at one end on a manually movable means 13 slidably disposed on frame 12 and pivotally mounted at the other end 15 on legs 16. Adjustment of their position i along the side of frame 12 predetermines the relative k the frame in the operative position.

Frame 12 mounts a cross bar 30 which pivotally supports one end of a bed frame 32, the free end of which is supported by the front 17 of spring .board frame 12 A web 34 is suspended in the bed frame 32 by a plurality of elastic shock cords 36 thus forming the springboard proper 11.

A platform 38 is mounted on a pair of telescoping legs 40 fixed on the back of frame 12 to provide a perch above the springboard 11.

In one feature of the invention, each leg 40 (Fig. 3) pivotally mounts a hollow link 42 on a pivot stud 44 and a piece of strong elastic resilient shock cord 46 extends through each link 42 under tension with one end fixed on frame 12 and the other end attached to an otherwise free handle 48. By virtue of this construction, the tension always urges the link 42 to rest against the back of the perch or platform 38 and if moved it will return to that position. These hollow links 42 may be manipulated at will for comedy effects but their main purpose is to provide a fake fall apparatus. In executing thefall, the performer springs off or over the perch or platform 38, grabbing the handles as he goes, and falls to the floor, while supporting the bulk of his weight on the handles 48. The links 42 will turn downwardly and it will appear that the performer has received a severe jolt, but actually the resilient cords 46 will stretch down below the level of the inverted links 42 and continue to support the performer. I

In another feature of the invention, a piece of resilient shock cord 50 has one end fixed to a lower portion of one leg 22 and the other end connected to a wire 52 which extends over a pulley 54 on one leg 40 with its outer end connected to bed frame 32 adjacent its free end 33. At the conjunction of cord 50 and wire 52 is an ordinary screen door hook 190 which, when connected to eye hook 101 on leg 40, forms a latch which deactivates the shock cord with the free end 33 of frame 32 resting on the front 17 of frame 12 and with the shock cord 50 held under sharp tension. By virtue of this construction, a performer may produce comedy effects by facing the rear 31 of the springboard 11, stepping back onto bar 30 and releasing the hook 100 from eye 101 to permit the cord 50 to be active on wire 52 and thus to cause the free end 33 of the bed and bed frame to fly up and hit him in the seat of the pants. Merely stepping on the bed will return it to its normal position and it can be held there, if desired, by refastening the latch.

The principal feature of the invention is the collapsibility of the trampoline-springboard. combination illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4. It should be noted that all the telescoping legs as well as the slide of the links 26 are provided with manually-operable set screws for easy adjustment. Actually, the telescoping legs are optional features that aid in providing a higher springboard withoutsacrificing the advantages of the folding features. In other elevated springboards the legs can be of onepiece construction. A key feature of the folding structure is the arrangement of adjustable links 26 with reference to main frame 12 and legs 16.

To collapse the combination trampoline-springboard, the set screw 201 holding the link 26 on frame 12 1s loosened and the elevated springboard is folded over onto the trampoline between the sides of frame 10. The trampoline is then folded with the ends movlng downwardly as described in the Vernier patent mentioned above. The elevated springboard moves from the operative position of Fig. l to the folded posltion shown in Fig. 4. In Fig. 4, it will be noted that the leg 16 and the frame 12 form a straight line with the pivot 20 forming an unbroken toggle and the long legs 22 lie alongside them. It will also be noted that the perch extends across the top of the folded trampoline where it is out of the way and actually the folded package 18 only slightly larger than the folded trampoline itself.

To set up the folded device, the springboard is pushed back from the trampoline which may then be set up as described in the Vernier patent. Then the springboard is set up by adjusting all the legs to the desired height, adjusting sliding link 26 on frame 12 and pulling legs 22 as far back as they will go.

Thus, the present invention provides a collapsible trampoline and elevated by springboard which may be set up and taken down by a single person and which may be easily transported, as on top of an automobile.

I claim:

1. In combination with a collapsible trampoline having a frame including two end sections movable downwardly to a folded position, a collapsible springboard assembly selectively movable from an operative position above the level of the trampoline to a folded position closely associated with said trampoline, said assembly including a base frame, a springboard mounted on said base, a first pair of short legs each having one of their respective ends pivotally connected to one end of said base frame and the other of their respective ends pivotally connected to one end of the trampoline frame, a second pair of longer legs having one of their respective ends pivotally connected to the other end of said base frame and having the other of their respective ends extending downwardly for engagement with the floor, means for limiting the pivotal movement of said longer legs in one direction for supporting one end of said springboard base frame in operative position, a pair of links each pivotally connected at one of their respective ends to said shorter legs and each also being pivotally connected at the other of their respective ends to the base frame, and manually movable means operative in one position for fixing the relative positions of said links, the springboard base frame and the shorter legs to prevent pivotal movement of said short legs with respect to said springboard base frame for support thereof in operative position, said manually movable means being operative in a second position for permitting free pivotal movement of said short legs with respect to said springboard base frame whereby the springboard base frame may be collapsed and folded into a position parallel to said short legs.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said manually movable means includes a set screw operatively associated with means for sliding the pivotal mounting at one end of each of said links towards and away from the pivotal connection between said short legs and said base frame when the set screw is loose.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein a perch extends upwardly from said base frame at a point adjacent the pivot between the long legs and said base frame.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said legs is provided with telescoping sections for adjusting the height of the springboard with respect to the trampoline frame.

5. An elevated gymnasium springboard comprising a frame, four legs supporting the frame, a perch positioned above one side of the frame and supported thereby, a bed frame positioned on the frame with one end resting thereon and the other end pivotally attached thereto along the side adjacent the perch, tension means urging said bed frame to pivot in the direction of said perch and manually controlling latch means for deactivating said tension means whereby a performer may release the latch to permit the springboard to fly up and hit him in the seat of the pants for comedy effect.

6. In an elevated gymnasium springboard, having frame members which include a base frame mounted on four legs and a per-ch mounted on said frame members at one end of the base frame, a shock breaking device comprising a hollow link a pivot connected at one side of said hollow link for pivoting it about a horizontal axis, said pivot being mounted on one of the members below the level of the perch and high enough to support 5 a falling performer, a handle normally positioned at the free end of the link and a resilient shock 00rd connected at one end to said handle and extending through the hollow link, with its other end fixed on said frame below said pivot whereby it will urge said link upwardly into engagement with said perch, whereby a performer can grasp the handle and fall off the perch without hurt- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sidlinger Mar. 18, 1952 Vernier Mar. 9, 1954 

